By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Apr 17, 2022)

Pretty grasslands hike with some foresty spots. This is a network of many trails with no particular destination, just pick your path and pick your length. Most of it is relatively flat but there are hilly spots too. Sometimes the hunters can be annoying with their gunshots. Lots of geocaches out there.

Some say there's a loop trail down to the river, but it's overgrown and steep.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017

Technically this is in Placer county, but if you need free parking you can park in El Dorado county at the bottom of the canyon and walk across to Placer. Walk along Old Foresthill Road past the paid parking lot to find the trailhead. Excellent artificial waterfall at end of trail, featuring a perpetual rainbow. A popular trail, but it's wide enough that the popularity isn't bothersome.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017

A nice loop. Couple miles. Often no people on the trail. Not especially scenic for Pollock Pines, though.

There's a dirt parking area that comes first along the road, which is good trail access... then the main big parking lot later has picnic tables and also good trail access.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017

Nice steep mostly-shaded trail to the top of the cliff. Fairly heavily trafficed. Wide, well-maintained trail. View from the top is well worth it.

When you see the sign for Camp Sacramento, follow the driveway to the lower parking lot near the archery range. (On a summer weekend this parking lot fills up so you may have to park across the street and walk in.) Walk up the road from there past the main lodge to the trailhead, which is nex to cabin #52.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Nov 21, 2017)

Parking is at the intersection of Meadow Brook and Bear Creek, which is a nexus of several trails. To find the Mar Det trail, walk up Bear Creek a little and it'll be on your left on the other side of the creek bridge. Click the website link for detailed trail map.

If you're looking for scenic overlook cliffs or waterfalls, this isn't your trail -- you're behind the trees and there's no water except the creek by the parking. If you're looking for a walk through the forest, though, it's beautiful. The way out is a pretty steady moderately steep uphill, so the way back is downhill (awkwardly but not dangerously so).

There are many forks, and at least one loop trail, but there's also plenty of signage to let you know which way to go to stay on Mar Det.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited May 27, 2021)

A trail that runs a few miles along a creek. Kind of busy and close to houses but nice shade and greenery with an interesting bridge at the end.

You can park along Harvard Way, or in the large empty parking lot of the community services distract at the corner of Harvard and El Dorado Hills Blvd. Here's the route on ramblr: https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/465099/3039490/

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Mar 11, 2023)

Beautiful forest dipping down 800 feet in less than a mile to the river at a location with great skipping stones. Half hour down, hour or two back up. The terrain isn't technically difficult -- no rock climbing and it's a very wide trail (used to be a road) -- but it sure is exhausting going up. In the rainy season there are a lot of miniature waterfalls.

The old flume itself isn't that interesting -- just overgrown rock walls -- but the views on the rest of the trail are great. You can walk along the flume a bit but it quickly becomes overgrown.

Crowded on weekends, parking lot will fill midday on summer weekends, okay on weekdays.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017

A pleasant loop along the river with the foundations of an old town. Winds through grass and forest. Parts of the trail (mainly the part from the river to the lower (paid) parking lot) can get very overgrown and become difficult due to thistle and stickers.

Park at Falcon Crest Trail lot. If you park in the free gravel upper lot, recommend walking down the street from there to the lower (paid) lot so that you don't have to finish your hike with a long uphill. You'll come out on the other side of the upper gravel lot at the end.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017

$10 for the official parking lot, or free parking on the side of the highway if you go down a bit toward the confluence and don't mind a walk back.

By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Oct 03, 2021)

This is part of the Pine Hill Preserve's Cameron Park Unit. Features a pond, some forest and grassland. Park in the Rasmussen Park lot, then walk the loop trail to the back of the park. There are two openings in the fence near the back left corner offering ways into preserve.

Here's a 2.5 mile loop option featuring a pond: https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/465099/1925275/ . That whole section is apparently not actually in the preserve and is in danger of being sold and developed, please see https://rescuerasmussenpond.com/ to learn how to help save it.

You can also make this into an 8.4 mile route: https://www.ramblr.com/web/mymap/trip/465099/1494432/ . Note the 8.4 mile route requires going onto sidewalks for a little bit until the proper trail resumes on the other side of Meder Road, but it pays off with some outstanding views when you get to the ridge top.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Mar 11, 2020)

Great views across the valley to the coast range abound. 17 miles of trails in all, but about half a mile up the hill will get you a great view. Some trail combos can be used to make loops. Village Green Park at the base has a pretty artifical lake and waterfall along with a stream and pond.

The big downside of these trails in the summer is there's almost no shade. They've planted trees to work on that, but it could be a few decades.

There's a Serrano Trails map available at the EDH California Welcome Center.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Dec 02, 2022)

This eastward-bound trail starts at the back of the Skunk Hollow parking lot. It rises high above the river and winds along about 15 miles until it connects with Cronan Ranch trails. Choose whatever length of hike you like, there's nice views from the start and no particular destination of note. A lot of good geocaches along this trail. Maintained by the American River Conservancy.

$10 paid parking lot, or free gravel parking across the bridge or other gravel pullouts (which will probably fill up really early on summer weekends).

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017 (Edited Jan 01, 2020)

A nice little trail starting from a nexus of trails in Garden Valley. Informational signs at the trailhead talk about the geology and serpentine rocks. Trail goes generally along creek, sometimes above.

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By Paul on Nov 15, 2017

Part of Pine Hill Preserve. Large trailset winds up the hill to The Enlightenment Bench geocache, which has a very nice view. Small seasonal waterfall/creek. Numerous side trails.

No official parking, and no parking on the street where the trail starts, so gotta find somewhere in the neighborhood for street parking and walk back.

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